THE NEW YORKER THE SCAVENGER HUNT W HAT will Society, in its rest- less, never-ceasing quest for a new "thrill," think up next? The question occurred to Frank last night . or some other night at the Scavenger Hunt held at the Waldorf- Astoria or some other hotel for the benefit of the Convalescent Home for Bank Presidents Suffering from Pe- cora Shock. Or some other shock. Frank can fairly see your morning coffee ripple as you blow a whinny of surprise on it: "Wh-h-h-h-h-h-at in the world is a Scavenger Hunt?" W ell, all Frank can tell you is that the Scavenger Hunt is Society's bright- est method of amusing itself in its rest- less, never-ceasing quest for a thrill, and he need hardly add, need he hardly, that the Scavenger Hunt is the invention of that remarkable and resourceful woman, Elsa Maxwell, acknowledged ruler of International Society, intimate of crowned and un- crowned heads, and founder of the Elsa Maxwell Society for Ruling In- ternational Society. Anybody who was everybody was present at last night's Scavenger Hunt. Mrs. Orson D. J elke entertained at a dinner for six for Mrs. Artemus L. Brokaw, who entertained at a dinner for six for Mrs. Orson D. J elke. Mrs. J elke in turn entertained at a dinner for six for Mrs. William Cromwell Goadby and Mr. and Mrs. William Cromwell Goadby entertained at a din- ner for six for Mr. and Mrs. Orson D. J elke and Mr. and Mrs. Artemus L. Brokaw, who entertained at a dinner for six for Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius J. Tucker. Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius J. Tucker entertained at a dinner for six for Mr. and Mrs. David E. f<.. Fen- way, who sent regrets, so Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius J. Tucker then entertained at a dinner for six for Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Oelrichs Ordway Owen, who entertained at a dinner for six for Mr. and Mrs. Tuckerman \V uckerman. But the ever-original Elsa Maxwell entertained at a dinner for five, for Elsa Maxwell. Following the dinners for six, or, as in the case of the ever-original Elsa, for five, Miss Maxwell assembled the hunters, who by this time were in a state of excitement bordering upon the qui vive, in the third telephone booth from the door to the left as you go in, and gave them their instructions. The entire assemblage was agog (and no one more so than Frank) to see what new quirk Elsa had thought up, and they were not disappointed, you may be sure. These were the objects the hunt- ers were directed to bring back to Elsa within the space of an hour and a half: One of Peggy Joyce's fourth hus- bands. The east side of Park Avenue between Fifty-second and Fifty-third Streets. A hair of the dog that bit Jim Moriarty. Two blue-eyed Vanderbilts in a New York Central day coach. A pair of Mae West's suspenders. An old rubber check worn by Tack and Charlie when reducing. The left lambrequin from Monty Woolley's beard. Deputy Police Commissioner Philip D. Hoyt's prowl car. Deputy Police Commissioner Philip D. Hoyt. The handson1e British footman Mrs. George K. Dowager is phhht about. F our wallets, seven watches, and a stickpin. A hair from the ear of the desk sergeant at the East Fifty-first Street police station named Murphy. Six fresh duck eggs and a pound of the very best butter. One of Al Jolson's socks, from the collection of Walter Winchell. A hiccough from the Cen- tral Park Casino. One of former Sec- retary of War Pat Hurley's eyebrows. A piece of plush from a Roxy usher. A hangover. A cabbage stuffed with votes. An order on Charvet for a half-dozen fine-grade Herbert Bayard Swopes. The Cathedral and Close of St. John the Divine. A quart of old fog. A RATHER stiff order, Frank thought, but apparently the hunters didn't. Such eagerness as they displayed, such impatience to be up and away and off, particularly the last. They were literally "champ- ing at the bit," to borrow a phrase from the jargon of grouse-shoot- . lng. The hunters lined up and dashed off at a pre- arranged signal from Miss Maxwell, as follows: Miss Maxwell tapped Gene Tunney on the shoulder and winked at him, and Gene then tickled Neysa McMein, who was stand- ing just in front of him. Miss Mc- Mein, who is very ticklish, laugp.ed and '* ,,;- f .' 23 struck William Rhinelander Stewart a light blow on the back of the neck. Mr. Stewart, thinking it was Gene Tunney who had hit him, said "Ouch, cut that out!" In front of Mr. Stew- art stòod Miss Helen Whitney Bourne, and hearing Mr. Stfwart say "Ouch, cut that out!" she turned and said "Who?" and in so doing lost her bal- ance and jostled Kermit Roosevelt, who stood at the head of a line of peo- ple that included Mrs. Kermit Roose- velt, Mr. and Mrs. L. Gordon Ham- ersley, Mr. and Mrs. ..A.ksel Wichfeld, Prince P otenziani, the Grand Duchess Marie, the Grand Duke Dmitri, Mrs. Henry F. du Pont, Miss Eleanor Barry, Mrs. Wilham Goadby Loew, Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, Mrs. Jay Gould, and Louis Bromfield. The line of people whiffled away under the impact of the jostle and fell in a heap, and Mr. Bromfield, who hap- pened to be on the end, found himself inadvertently seated on a gong. Miss Bourne, hearing the gong sound as Mr. Bromfield lit, cried "Mr. and Mrs. Aksel Wichfeld!" and, turning to Mr. Stewart, struck him smartly on the second stud of the shirt bosom. Mr. Stewart by this time had lost patience and was resolved to stand no more of this mayhem, so he in turn lunged at Miss McMein, who then seized Mr. Tunney and hit Miss Max- well with him. Miss Maxwell, taken unawares, gave vent to an involun- tary cry of "Oh!" which the hunt- o d " G ' " d ers mIsconstrue as 00 an so away they went! . t J ULES GLAENZ- ER was the first one back, re- turning in forty- seven. minutes six- ty-two seconds with the iron gate from Twenty-one, a pound and a half of loose sausage, and some teeth. N ext to arrive was Arthur Train, with a 1929 Topeka telephone directory and a section of the Central Park Mall. Mrs. Allen Gouverneur Wellman arrived shortly afterward, with a quart of buttermilk and four million dollars. N ext came Mrs. Vincent Astor, bringing Sam- uel Insull, Charlie Ross, Dorothy Arnold, Judge Crater, and former Vice - President Charlie Curtis. Next 'h -"'I. -:: ;' .- '_.::.